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May 27, 2015 1558

“‘I tell you the truth,’ Jesus answered, ‘before Abraham was born, I am!’” (John 8:58)

In a series of astonishing claims, this was probably the most amazing of all. Abraham was the father of the Hebrew people, revered throughout their history. The Jews believed that God had given Abraham a vision of the coming of the Messiah. Jesus was now claiming to be the fulfillment of that vision. The Jewish leaders were furious at this claim and scoffed at Jesus. “How can you claim to have seen Abraham when you’re still a young man?”

Jesus had done all he could to convince the Jewish leaders that he was their God, but they rejected him because his values were so different to their own. Now, he was telling them that he was their “I AM” or Jehovah, and as God, he had existed long before Abraham. He used words they should have understood and listened to. This was his ultimate claim. He was God, living amongst them as he had promised to do. But they rejected his words as blasphemy, and murdered him.

They could not see past their own preconceived ideas, rituals and ambitions. To them, he preached a false interpretation of their law and prophets; he taught about a different relationship with God and promoted different values. In rejecting Jesus they turned their backs on eternal life.